23 and 1
by finalbrokenlaments
Summary: 23 of the times he watched her die and the 1 time he didn't. GamNep AU


The girl laying next to him stared up with bright olive eyes, shining with her adoration. Only blankets covered them, their forms naked and pressed together. Gamzee laid his head of messy hair back on the pillows, sighing with happiness.  
"I love you, Nepeta." he murmured. The kitten of a girl smiled and kissed his cheek.  
"I love you too, Gamzee." she replied quietly. "I'm gonna go grab a snack. Want something?"  
"Nah, I'm good, babe."  
Nepeta picked up a blanket and wrapped around her curvy form, leaving the apartment's bedroom.

The darkhaired male sighed happily, closing his eyes. Life couldn't be anymore perfect right now. The girl of his dreams, whom he'd loved since middle school, was his. She loved him back. She was going to move in over the weekend. Nothing could ruin this.  
Except for a scream, a crash, and the sound of broken glass.  
Gamzee jumped up, immediately worried, not caring about his nudity. He threw the bedroom door wide.  
"NEPETA!"

She was crumpled on the floor like a tossed rag, blood slowly pooling around her head, which held a nasty wound. Next to her, splattered with her blood, was a club. One of the clubs Gamzee kept near the door in case of intruders. He dropped to his knees next to her, untrained to find a pulse, and grabbed the phone from her limp hand. She'd obviously tried to call the police. She'd only dialed a 9.  
Officially, the report was an attempted robbery. Nothing of value was taken except for her, however. The EMTs arrived at the scene in record time, but it was still too late.  
"Call it."  
"Time of death…."

Everything faded to black.

This wasn't the first time he'd watched his love die. He'd lost count a long time ago. The world was always changed, their situations and positions were always changed, but they weren't. Not ever. She was always her, soft and small and perfect. He was always him, tall and messy and perpetually sad. Gamzee didn't know why he suffered this way, who he'd angered. He didn't remember a time before this torture. The only thing he ever remembered was the various ways she'd die. Drowning. Disease. Murder. Suicide.

Gamzee opened his eyes to a strange room. He laid in a strange bed. He was used to it, at this point. He rolled out of bed and looked around. An electronic clock read 5:30. Something told him he needed to get up and get ready to go to work. Following the instinct, he stood, and moved to the bathroom to take a shower. 6:30, he was dressed in a suit and out the door with a strangely heavy briefcase. A sleek black car was in the driveway of the house, and the keys on the table turned it on. Like clockwork, he pulled out, and drove out to the highway. 7:05, he sat in traffic. 7:20, he got off the highway. 7:26, he was parked in a parking garage and making his way up the elevator to the 23rd floor.

And there she was, like she always was eventually. Standing tall and pretty in the elevator next to him, she was checking her phone with the little pink cat case, like she always had. She didn't notice him, but he stared in such a way that she felt it.  
"Can I help you, Mr. Makara?" she asked in such a tight way, Gamzee felt like whoever he was, he'd wronged her in some way.  
"No, I just couldn't help but notice that you looked particularly lovely today, Miss Leijon."  
She blinked those curious olive eyes, and gave a ghost of a smile.

"I didn't think you even knew my name, sir."  
"Of course I know your name, ma'am."  
There was a shuddering sound of metal-on-metal, then the elevator ground to a halt. Nepeta stumbled on her heels, and Gamzee grabbed her to steady her.  
"What was that?!" she panicked.  
"I don't know," he lied in a soothing tone. That was Death. He'd caught their scent, like he always did.  
"Oh God, are we going to die?"  
"No, I promise. It'll be okay." He lied again. She stared at him and nodded. "We just need to wait and we'll be found. Just keep calm."  
Nepeta nodded once again, sliding down the floor and holding his arms.

Gamzee slid down with her, and they sat on the floor of the elevator together. They waited hours. They waited so long that Nepeta's little phone with the pink cat case and no signal died. Eventually, Nepeta stood with a growl, practically attacking the door.  
"We've gotta be able to get out!" she cried. "Oh, god, I can't take another moment in here!"  
"Hey, calm down, we're gonna be okay." he placed a hand on her shoulder.  
"I need out!" she sobbed. "I feel sick, and claustrophobic."  
Gamzee sighed unhappily. "Alright, hold on…" he pulled her back and started trying to pry the doors open himself.

Eventually, they parted to reveal enough space for one person at a time to slide onto the 17th floor. He gave her a grin. "Miracles, right Miss-"  
"Call me Nepeta," she corrected with a smile. "My name is Nepeta."  
He slowly grinned wider. "I'm Gamzee." He started to pull himself out the space, the slick tile floor making it difficult, until he was free of the metal box that hung precariously in the elevator shaft. He turned around quickly. "Okay, Nepeta, I'm going to pull you out now. Got it?"

Nepeta nodded and took his hands. He started to pull her up, getting her up to only her wrists, when she said it.  
"God, Gamzee. I love you right now."  
He paled, smile quickly fading. He tried to pull her up quicker, but it was too late. With a terrible creaking, the elevator cord suddenly snapped. Nepeta screamed and released Gamzee's hands, falling back inside the elevator, which began to fall down 17 floors and the basement. He watched it crash to the very bottom with horror.  
"Not again, oh God, that wasn't even a full day," he whispered. "GOD DAMMIT, FUCK!"  
The elevator doors closed and everything started to fade. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he turned and began to walk away.

"Such thing as miracles my ass…."

Everything went black.


End file.
